Backing up

[Brian G Turner]

Backing up is so important - because it's so easy for digital data to become corrupt, deleted, or simply go missing.

Here's how I do it:

- Every time I make significant changes to my MS, I save it as a new file. All files are numbered consecutively, so if I feel I've messed up on a write/rewrite, I can simply fire up the old file;

- I have a dedicated Gmail account for my writing, and every time I save a new version of my manuscript, I also attach it to an email and send it to myself - so there's a record of all my consecutive MSS in Gmail

I also email notes and reference files whenever they are updated, so in the event my laptop crashes, is lost, stolen, or even destroyed - I only need log into my Gmail account to recover the missing files.

I know everyone will have their own method - but whatever it is, please do backup!

 

[Kylara]

An external harddrive is excellent. Should really back up your computer onto an external HDD every time you do anything on your computer, so once a day, or once a week, that way if your computer dies then your entire computer is on a separate HDD

 

[Ursa major]

I create a new file every time I make a significant(-ish) edit. So during the run up to submitting the the Harper Voyager Open Door this October, I saved 130 files**, whose names followed the general form <Novel Title> - <Phase> <version>+<sub-version>.doc

So, for example, I have a file called:

Ammit's Maw - Harper Voyager Submission 1L+12.doc

​

As I edit on two machines (one of which runs OfficeXP), I add another field to indicate when I'm using the older machine.

So the next file was called:

Ammit's Maw - Harper Voyager Submission 1L+12 Loc1.doc
​

where Loc is replaced by a shortened version of the name of the village/suburb where the other machine is located.

Note that the +12 is an extreme case: used when I was doing numerous small edits in small bursts.

(All these files are on two PCs plus the USB stick I use to transfer them between the machines, so they should be safe from being overwritten.)


** - The reason for all the files is that the notice about the Open Door came when I was in the middle of demeasling*** the novel, and then I read a chapter at a time (40 chapters) and each resulting edit lead to a new file.

*** - Demeasling is changing all the examples of a word that might be overused (e.g. was, that, he, she) to the same word with the highlight switched on, seeing if they're clumped together and doing something about it. (There are a number of highlight colours**** available, and so the bulk find and replace can be done for many words at a time. Remember to use "whole word only" otherwise you might give yourself a heart attack.)

**** - I used the technique on an oldish version of WiP2: with the zoom set to many pages on the screen, the manuscript makes it looks as if I'm a big fan of Damien Hirst's "spot" paintings.

 

[Parson]

Save hard drive, save flash drive, save cloud. Not brilliant but fairly efficient.

 

[mosaix]

dropbox.com is great not only for off-machine backups but also if you use multiple machines, and it's free!

 

[Interversus]

I've migrated to google everything almost (just set up a gmail account and you are almost done). I draft in google docs using my browser, so I can edit from anywhere, even my ipod, although long writing sessions with the touch screen is tiresome.

Installing the google drive program for windows autosyncs with your hard drive if you want a local copy too if you don't trust the cloud.

I can easily share the file with anyone so if I want a friend to read something, they can comment on it without being able to meddle, and there's some limited tools included.

I still prefer word for editing, but google docs downloads in .doc format, so its not too much hassle to move to word once I'm ready. I can access my google drive from windows and it just looks like I've got another harddrive attached.

All free, and no more pen drive swapping (although I still have to do that for work work).

I just had a dig into the save options for word, but can't see versioning any more. I.e. I wanted it to automatically keep old drafts, just renumber them each time I save without having to do it automatically. It linked to something telling me it was possible, but it looked convoluted, so I didn't bother. Looks like I could set the autobackup to a cloud drive though, which would be useful.

 

[Ursa major]

You might want to read this post by Vertigo in the It's in the clouds! thread.

 

[Perpetual Man]

I currently have 3 computer running - my big one at home, my tablet and my work PC.

I'm starting to do more and more work on the tablet, so that has the 'main' copy of my work on it. Then I try and copy everything through to the home computer, and for those quiet times there is a copy on my work computer too.

Everything gets backed up once or twice a month onto CD (or DVD these days) and for pure paranoia reasons I do it twice. But I also have a Flash drive that I copy everything on. This is where I work from most of all so I have the most up to date copy on hand at all times, and I copy that to everything else.

But the other thing I do - whenever I reach a significant point in my work - is to print it off so I have a hard copy. If ever I had a problem that took out all other backups I still have something that I can work from.

 

[Interversus]

You might want to read this post by Vertigo in the It's in the clouds! thread.

Thanks for the warning Ursa. I suppose the cloud should be treated with caution.

Anything commercial or precious I'll keep away from the cloud. WIP chapter drafts and my short stories, I'll continue to keep on the web, and take my chances.

Thanks,

 

[Grinnel]

I click the button on the top of the screen that has a picture of a disc sometimes. I bought an external hard drive and a flash drive that I might use some day...

 

[Parson]

I click the button on the top of the screen that has a picture of a disc sometimes. I bought an external hard drive and a flash drive that I might use some day...

The Golden Rule of Computers:

"All Disks will crash. It's just a question of when."

 

[Glitch]

For those with a single computer there is another option to add into the mix. Although it doesn't save you from disk crashes as Parson points out.

If you're running Windows 7 (and other OS's have similar options) You can enable a feature called Previous versions, which does what it says. You can access previous versions of files on your computer, usually going back a month. Not a one fix solution, but it may help some people.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Previous-versions-of-files-frequently-asked-questions

 

[Brian G Turner]

You might want to read this post by Vertigo in the It's in the clouds! thread.

Indeed, and Dropbox was hacked a few months ago.

That's why I use GMail only, as I figure it's more personally secure than general cloud apps.

 

[MattC]

Having been stung and kicked in the proverbials so often with crashes, I now use a non-Internet connected laptop to write on and back up using usb sticks. It means I have more memory sticks than I know what to do with (or know what's on them). But at least I'm backed up fully.

 

[allmywires]

I have my external HDD (which I use far too rarely, wrist slap for me), my Dropbox account and my flash drives - 2, a regular one and then my iPod with disk mode enabled which I had used as an external HDD until I got my Buffalo.

I also have Microsoft Word set up to autosave every minute and press Ctrl-S like a madman when I'm typing. It's pretty reflexive now. I'm a typist and when MS Word crashes (as it's often wont to do) having to go back even a minute or two into the audio to retype stuff is just soul-crushing.

 

[Galacticdefender]

I back up all my stuff on a flash drive. I need have a reserve for my reserve though, so I'm going to create an email backup account soon.

 

[tinkerdan]

I have 6 thumb-flash drives.
Someone asked if I need them all.

I said someday I'd be glad I had them.
That day was about 6 months ago.

 

[Vertigo]

Ursa has already drawn attention to my earlier concerns about storing backups on the internet (thanks Ursa).

I have a scheduled backup that runs every day (so long as my computer is on). This is then periodically backed up to three other hard drives; daily, weekly, monthly (repectively). There is also a 4th hard drive that is typically backed up to roughly quarterly and is stored in a different location (the other end of the country).

My main machine is a pretty powerful (and expensive) Dell laptop, and I have used laptops pretty much exclusively for the last 20 years. These laptops are not just a convenience; they do a lot of travelling with me around the country and abroad. No matter how good laptop hard drives are, they are still probably the most sensitive moving part of the laptop (and indeed of any computer) and large amounts of travelling don't go down too well with them. Over those 20 years I have had probably 6 or 7 hard drive failures where those backups have saved the day. With my usage I usually reckon on getting maybe 2-3 years out of a laptop hard drive (I'm half expecting to start hitting problems with my current 2 year old one any time now )). The same goes for any external hard drives that get carted around a lot.

 

[RJM Corbet]

... That's why I use GMail only, as I figure it's more personally secure than general cloud apps.

And the day google goes under is the day it probably won't matter if you've got a book anyway.

Still, it would nice to have a printed copy, too. (When I can afford ink) ...

 

[Glitch]

Over those 20 years I have had probably 6 or 7 hard drive failures where those backups have saved the day. With my usage I usually reckon on getting maybe 2-3 years out of a laptop hard drive (I'm half expecting to start hitting problems with my current 2 year old one any time now )). The same goes for any external hard drives that get carted around a lot.

Have you considered getting an SSD when it goes? or even before it does.